Where do u run in Hurricane season

[HimHerBoySissy]

Hey there fellow liveaboards.

Not quite liveaboards yet but will commence our new lives from the caribbean in November 2012. Our story. We are Australian, never sailed in the caribbean, but many miles under our belts without children. Sailing a lagoon 440. Mum and dad and a 5 & 3 year old, living aboard, planning to do a few seasons in the Caribbean. On the subject of hurricanes, where do you all run? I believe some head nth to the USA and sit in marinas, some tie up in creeks etc. Is there an ption to run south to Venezuela? We are limited by the childrens ability to do the hard miles at the moment. (They will learn, LOL) Is it an option to hang in the BVI's or surrounding areas? Bahamas? or is that just too risky? We have friends in Pensacola so we are aware of the carnage that occurs there. Belize? central america? Mexico?

Any help or advice is much appreciated. Not lookign for hard and fast rules as we know there are so many variables. Just after some food for thought from other cruisers and will use it to evaluate and plan.

Have a great day.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, HimHerBoySissy.

Aruba
Curacao
Belize
Margarita Island (part of Venezuela)
Trinidad and Tobago

See ➥ http://www.caribbeancompass.com/belowbelt.htm

[LeaseOnLife]

South of 12 deg N is pretty safe, for hurricanes: Grenada, Trinidad. Venezuela: not so safe, just my feelings. I would prefer Colombia, Cartagena, or Panama. Any of these places will be hot, muggy, little wind in summer...

Dirk

[Pat Ross]

I live on the water and stayed in my home in downtown Pensacola during Ivan - it was a rare storm but it only takes one. They seem to happen here every 8 to10 years or so and we are about due now.

Generally speaking though, along the Gulf Coast, if you find a safe hole north of I-10 it is a good place to be. If you check your charts you will find a lot of accessible inland water above I-10. Mast height above waterline can be the limiting issue here, depends on your boat.

Two specific exceptions are Louisiana, in which case I would get north of I-12 and Mississippi seems to have higher flood stages and one needs to be well north of I-10 when sailing on that state's coastline, these are my observations.

[HimHerBoySissy]

Hey there. Thanks very much for all that advice. Yep Pat we love pensacola (have friends in Gulf breeze we may annoy you later about cruising around there) We always seem to plan a trip and BANG you guys get a huricane so we are not going to put the moz on you at this early stage of the season.

Lease on life thanks very much and GordMay we appreciate your welcome note and advice.

[bobconnie]

AHHH we live in HurryCane Alley in Louisiana, and tie up behind our home and have insurance!! Big deuctable for Named Storms but what the heck ! If it's coming our way we move to Marina 15 miles up from us and had no problems from Katrina ! Lots of Hidiey Holes around where we live nobody with boat worth a damn loses a boat down here cus they MOVE them to Safe places and the Ins co's know that !! they ck your records LOL but really there are good places for anyboat down here !!

[Pat Ross]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

AHHH we live in HurryCane Alley in Louisiana, and tie up behind our home and have insurance!! Big deuctable for Named Storms but what the heck ! If it's coming our way we move to Marina 15 miles up from us and had no problems from Katrina ! Lots of Hidiey Holes around where we live nobody with boat worth a damn loses a boat down here cus they MOVE them to Safe places and the Ins co's know that !! they ck your records LOL but really there are good places for anyboat down here !!

Dang you guys are below Nu 'Awlins

[Nicholson58]

Some run the SA coast from Panama to the Orinoco. Orinoco is fresh water up the interior and an upcomming summering over location. Also popuylar is Rio Dulce in Guatamala - also fresh water. Dulce is a string af large lakes connected by rivers.

CLAVADO DESDE EL PUENTE DE RIO DULCE.avi - YouTube

there are idots. Note the bridge is 130 feet according to the commentary. riodulcechisme.com - Home Also looks like could be a fun destination. These places are hot and humid. Some also summer in Chesapeke Bay, north of the underwriter's line. The Atlantic coast might interest you from Newfoundland south. To escape the heat - one destination is the Sagueney river/Fjord in Canada along the St Lawrence Seay-way. This is great natual northern scenery in a deep, steep sided fjord in sheltered safety.

[HimHerBoySissy]

Hey Y'all.... (sorry thats my best accent) Bob and connie thanks a lot. What marina would that have been that you refered to in your post where you avoided Katrina. Seems logical. Hang around in the gulf, eat some magic food, drink some good beer, get my yearly intake of grits in one week and if it blows up run to the marina! We might even get time to visit the rat AKA Mickey Mouse (for the childrens sake of course!) Is texas an option too?

[Kettlewell]

If you want to stay in the Caribbean south of 10 degrees you are out of the hurricane belt, meaning you can cruise to Colombia, the San Blas Islands, and the rest of Panama. When we were in Cartagena there were lots of families with kids there and our kids loved it. No long hops in that part of the Caribbean either. Easy to kill the entire hurricane season down there, and you're still cruising around instead of being holed up. However, my favorite choice is to head north of Cape Hatteras by June, cruising New England and maybe up to Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy area. Beautiful cruising and very safe, great weather in the summer, tons to do for the kids, lots of other kid boats around in the summer, no long hops if you don't want to. The area isn't immune to hurricanes, but they are fewer, travel through much quicker, tend to be weaker, and there are serious hurricane holes you can duck into where the wind and surge won't bother you.

[Nicholson58]

BTW - if you make it as far as Sagueney you are only a short hop to Quebec City. The old town is much like old European walled cities. See the fort and tour the old town. If you stay at the Fontenac you can park your boat in the city marina on them. City marina is protected by a lock.

Panoramio - Photo of Quebec: Château Frontenac

Panoramio - Photo of Marina in Quebec City

[bobconnie]

Himher and such ! The Marina is the City marina in Houma !along the ICW right downtown close to Food and stores ect ! very safe its under a double arched bridge over the ICW right between the spans ! water and power but most use there gennys cus the power will go before anything else LOL power lines above ground LoL

[HimHerBoySissy]

MAN! Its great to be back amongst the cruising community with all the good will that goes along with it... BTW Him her the boy and sissy are... Scot Tracey William and Molly. WOW we have spoken about cruising the east coast of USA and now we are thinking about achieving that canadian destination too. Thanks to everyone you have managed to fill up a few seasons in cruising already.keep em coming

[Hudson Force]

There have been several references in this thread to "heading for a marina" at the threat of a hurricane. I know that there are some marinas in very well protected places, but when making choices for protection during the approach of a hurricane people should be aware that marinas are often in poor locations and they always put you in danger of other boats, pilings, bulkheads and potential flying or floating debris. A marina might be your best choice, but not to be chosen because it is a marina.

[Kettlewell]

I will agree that you shouldn't automatically run to a marina during hurricane season, but there are marinas in very sheltered places that can make sense. That's what the discussion was about. Lots of people wait out or store their boats in marinas up the Rio Dulce for hurricane season, but I personally would feel cooped up there for that long. Don't get me wrong, the Rio is well worth the trip, and a visit to Tikal and other Mayan sites is a must, but spending six months in there would be too much for me. I prefer to go someplace where I can move around and do some cruising, hence the suggestions for the San Blas or heading north to the Chesapeake and New England.